![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by MrBill on August 16, 2000, at 14:58:25
I have been on effexor for 8 mos at 375 mg and I want off because it stopped working. I have added prozac to keep serotonin levels up, and am now dropping 75 mg per day - at 75. So far no symptoms. I am assuming that prozac is easier to get off of because of long half-life.
Bill
Posted by shar on August 16, 2000, at 17:08:03
In reply to Off effexor in 5 days, posted by MrBill on August 16, 2000, at 14:58:25
Bill,
That is my understanding of the approach people have had success with. I don't know about dosing. I do know that the more slowly you can taper off (ie, over weeks), the easier it should be (or that's what I've seen here).
> I have been on effexor for 8 mos at 375 mg and I want off because it stopped working. I have added prozac to keep serotonin levels up, and am now dropping 75 mg per day - at 75. So far no symptoms. I am assuming that prozac is easier to get off of because of long half-life.
>
> Bill
Posted by Cindy W on August 16, 2000, at 20:19:28
In reply to Re: Off effexor in 5 days, posted by shar on August 16, 2000, at 17:08:03
> Bill,
> That is my understanding of the approach people have had success with. I don't know about dosing. I do know that the more slowly you can taper off (ie, over weeks), the easier it should be (or that's what I've seen here).
>
>
> > I have been on effexor for 8 mos at 375 mg and I want off because it stopped working. I have added prozac to keep serotonin levels up, and am now dropping 75 mg per day - at 75. So far no symptoms. I am assuming that prozac is easier to get off of because of long half-life.
> >
> > BillMr. Bill, when you say it stopped working, what changed for you? I've been taking the same dosage of Effexor-XR (375 mg/day) for about 8 months too, and have found recently that my depression and have OCD have gotten worse again. For me, it's feeling hopeless, counting, checking, and going back to the feelings that other people dislike me for being so weird. What's it like for you? Hope it is easy to stop also.
Posted by MrBill on August 16, 2000, at 21:56:34
In reply to Re: Off effexor in 5 days, posted by Cindy W on August 16, 2000, at 20:19:28
> > Bill,
> > That is my understanding of the approach people have had success with. I don't know about dosing. I do know that the more slowly you can taper off (ie, over weeks), the easier it should be (or that's what I've seen here).
> >
> >
> > > I have been on effexor for 8 mos at 375 mg and I want off because it stopped working. I have added prozac to keep serotonin levels up, and am now dropping 75 mg per day - at 75. So far no symptoms. I am assuming that prozac is easier to get off of because of long half-life.
> > >
> > > Bill
>
> Mr. Bill, when you say it stopped working, what changed for you? I've been taking the same dosage of Effexor-XR (375 mg/day) for about 8 months too, and have found recently that my depression and have OCD have gotten worse again. For me, it's feeling hopeless, counting, checking, and going back to the feelings that other people dislike me for being so weird. What's it like for you? Hope it is easy to stop also.Cindy:
Effexor gave me optimism which I then began to lose. I am also very concerned about falling back into depression and the old habits that made me hard to live with (including some pretty compulsive stuff). Given that concern, my Doctor and I introduced prozac (60 mg/day) over the last month, and now wellbutrin at 300 mg/day. It is too early to tell with the wellbutrin, but prozac seems much more calming and with less agression that effexor. I am hoping that the new combination will allow me to regain that optimistic view.Bill
Posted by Cindy W on August 17, 2000, at 9:10:56
In reply to Re: Off effexor in 5 days, posted by MrBill on August 16, 2000, at 21:56:34
> > > Bill,
> > > That is my understanding of the approach people have had success with. I don't know about dosing. I do know that the more slowly you can taper off (ie, over weeks), the easier it should be (or that's what I've seen here).
> > >
> > >
> > > > I have been on effexor for 8 mos at 375 mg and I want off because it stopped working. I have added prozac to keep serotonin levels up, and am now dropping 75 mg per day - at 75. So far no symptoms. I am assuming that prozac is easier to get off of because of long half-life.
> > > >
> > > > Bill
> >
> > Mr. Bill, when you say it stopped working, what changed for you? I've been taking the same dosage of Effexor-XR (375 mg/day) for about 8 months too, and have found recently that my depression and have OCD have gotten worse again. For me, it's feeling hopeless, counting, checking, and going back to the feelings that other people dislike me for being so weird. What's it like for you? Hope it is easy to stop also.
>
> Cindy:
> Effexor gave me optimism which I then began to lose. I am also very concerned about falling back into depression and the old habits that made me hard to live with (including some pretty compulsive stuff). Given that concern, my Doctor and I introduced prozac (60 mg/day) over the last month, and now wellbutrin at 300 mg/day. It is too early to tell with the wellbutrin, but prozac seems much more calming and with less agression that effexor. I am hoping that the new combination will allow me to regain that optimistic view.
>
> BillBill, hope the new combo works for you! Keep us posted.
Posted by shar on August 18, 2000, at 23:36:38
In reply to Off effexor in 5 days, posted by MrBill on August 16, 2000, at 14:58:25
Bill,
How is it going? Are you finding it bearable?I hope so! Wishing you well,
Shar
Posted by MrBill on August 19, 2000, at 11:22:48
In reply to Re: Off effexor in 5 days » MrBill, posted by shar on August 18, 2000, at 23:36:38
> Bill,
> How is it going? Are you finding it bearable?
>
> I hope so! Wishing you well,
> SharShar:
After all that fuss I am back on effexor. The few days I was off were definitely bearable with regard to physical symptoms - minor head stuff like mild headache, thick-headed, and a "sizzling" sound - but I have that going on anyway. I got some information yesterday that I have a new and challenging job assignment. At age 53 I am running out of time and no time for experimentation to regain past responses. Thus, back to basics (20mg Prozac plus 300mg effexor XR), and concentrate on what I have to do rather than what the pills will do for me. Or put another way, I tried re-entry but the heck with it - back out into space!Bill
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.